Back in Braces again after removal and jaw surgery

[samoorelaw]

Hello everyone,

I had my last retainer appointment under my original contract today. At that appointment, I was told that while my retainers fit perfectly (and I diligently wear them so this is no surprise), my posterior open bite on both sides is even worse than it was 6 months ago, with only my top 6-8 teeth touching when I bite down. So my orthodontist believes that since I'm more than 21 months from my jaw surgery, my chances of retention of the bite is better, although I don't have much hope. This is my last chance at fixing this.

I have been through the ringer with treatment (just take a gander at my signature line for a chronology) and am wondering if anyone else has had a surgical relapse and/or posterior open bite returning so soon after their braces removal?

At this point, I'm wondering if I'm wasting my time and that I'll just relapse again: my dentist suggested I get 6 more upper crowns to try to build up my upper teeth so they will meet the bottom teeth but 1) that would cost over $10,000, 2) there is no guarantee this will work, 3) I would be destroying perfectly healthy teeth, 4) retreatment with braces is only (ONLY!) costing me $3,880 (my initial braces cost was $6,895 but those who need retreatment get a break), and 5) my orthodontist didn't seem too crazy about the crowns idea, although at this point I'm wondering if he is just out to make more money, even though he is rated as one of the best ones in Las Vegas.

My braces are going back on this coming Monday. He estimates treatment will be 12-18 months. I now have 9 crowns whereas before I had only 1, so I'm concerned the braces will damage the crowns.

Here's hoping I have better luck this time.

[mapleleafman888]

Hey, I remember your story from a while back. Sorry to hear about your luck with your treatment and I really just wanted to leave some sort of message to offer you support. I hope everything goes well, I can't imagine what it's like to go through this.

[samoorelaw]

Hey, I remember your story from a while back. Sorry to hear about your luck with your treatment and I really just wanted to leave some sort of message to offer you support. I hope everything goes well, I can't imagine what it's like to go through this.

Thank you, I deeply appreciate that. It's hard not knowing if this will be successful this time, but I feel I have to try. Otherwise I will regret it.

[msw]

Hey samoorelaw, that sucks. I'm sure you must be so frustrated. I hope it goes well with re-bracing today, and I hope the third time really is the charm. I'm in a similar situation -- my bottom teeth have gotten a bit crooked, despite (or maybe because of) a permanent retainer. Although I'm not sure they were 100% correct even before my braces were removed. I've got consults scheduled with new orthodontists on Nov. 23 and Dec. 8.

Good luck, and looking forward to hearing how it went today.

[samoorelaw]

Hey samoorelaw, that sucks. I'm sure you must be so frustrated. I hope it goes well with re-bracing today, and I hope the third time really is the charm. I'm in a similar situation -- my bottom teeth have gotten a bit crooked, despite (or maybe because of) a permanent retainer. Although I'm not sure they were 100% correct even before my braces were removed. I've got consults scheduled with new orthodontists on Nov. 23 and Dec. 8.

Good luck, and looking forward to hearing how it went today.

Thank you. I'm sorry you're going through relapse issues, too. So frustrating.

It went okay today, although it seemed like it took longer to get the braces on this time (maybe because of all my crowns).

[metalliKa]

Wow! Your teeth really have been through quite the wringer! I don't know if I would have the patience to do a second round. However, I hope this round works out for you. And like you said, you won't know until you try.

[samoorelaw]

Wow! Your teeth really have been through quite the wringer! I don't know if I would have the patience to do a second round. However, I hope this round works out for you. And like you said, you won't know until you try.

Oh yes they have. I wish I could pull them out and just try again, but alas while I'm a lawyer, I'm not a real shark.

[parsleysage]

Oh my gosh! My "old" archwired friend! Sherry, I am soooooo sorry to hear that you have to have the braces put back on. I know that must be disappointing and after everything you've been through and the great result you had, it's got to be so frustrating having to go through it again and not knowing for how long.

What happens if you still have the retention issue after this round of braces? Is there a longterm risk to your teeth?

Hugs

[samoorelaw]

Oh my gosh! My "old" archwired friend! Sherry, I am soooooo sorry to hear that you have to have the braces put back on. I know that must be disappointing and after everything you've been through and the great result you had, it's got to be so frustrating having to go through it again and not knowing for how long.

What happens if you still have the retention issue after this round of braces? Is there a longterm risk to your teeth?

Hugs

Howdy! It's been a while! Thank you for your kind words. I ultimately don't know what the retention results will be this time, and it sucks I have to pay a pretreatment fee but at least it's only half as expensive as before.

I believe my ortho thinks that due to my slight surgical relapse and the fact my surgery was almost 2 years, chances of further relapse is much smaller. Plus, I had a lot of stuff done before (jaw and gum surgery and then crowns) but this time I don't need all that so less work will need to be done and thus hopefully less stress on the teeth so perhaps this will lead to better retention. My ortho, who is consistently voted among the top orthos in my state, said if he didn't believe I had a shot at retention this time, we wouldn't be doing this round of braces. I think I will demand that he issue me a positioner, since I have heard good things about them helping to retrain the bite after the braces are removed, although when I mentioned it to him, he didn't really seem enthusiastic about that idea and said it has varying levels of success.

Good question as to whether this will cause damage to my teeth or root absorption. He didn't mention that but I will ask him that when I see him next week: I've had THREE brackets on my molars (all different teeth) fall off in the 8 days I've had them so I will be getting molar bands on 2 of them (1 is a crown and the other has a lot of filling). I didn't have ONE bracket fall off before so I am shocked that I've had three fall off in just a little over a week. I hope this isn't as sign I shouldn't be doing this...

Thanks for asking. So good to hear from you! How are things with you? Hopefully your braces come off soon!

[djspeece]

So sorry to hear this news, and am wishing you the best of luck. It sounds like your ortho has a good plan with an excellent chance of success; that is indeed good news. But, after all you have been through, I can certainly understand your pain and frustration. I'd probably be drinking gin right out of the bottle at this point. I'm hoping that you begin to see signs of success early and that you achieve all that you are hoping to accomplish. Best of luck to you!

[samoorelaw]

So sorry to hear this news, and am wishing you the best of luck. It sounds like your ortho has a good plan with an excellent chance of success; that is indeed good news. But, after all you have been through, I can certainly understand your pain and frustration. I'd probably be drinking gin right out of the bottle at this point. I'm hoping that you begin to see signs of success early and that you achieve all that you are hoping to accomplish. Best of luck to you!

Ha! You ain't kidding: if I were a drinker, I would be plastered by now! Now I have to get used to eating in public again with foods getting stuck. Fun.

Appreciate the kind words and well wishes, Dan. I'm so glad your 3-year journey with the braces has come to an end! How's retainer life treating you?

[djspeece]

So sorry to hear this news, and am wishing you the best of luck. It sounds like your ortho has a good plan with an excellent chance of success; that is indeed good news. But, after all you have been through, I can certainly understand your pain and frustration. I'd probably be drinking gin right out of the bottle at this point. I'm hoping that you begin to see signs of success early and that you achieve all that you are hoping to accomplish. Best of luck to you!

Ha! You ain't kidding: if I were a drinker, I would be plastered by now! Now I have to get used to eating in public again with foods getting stuck. Fun.

Appreciate the kind words and well wishes, Dan. I'm so glad your 3-year journey with the braces has come to an end! How's retainer life treating you?

Retainer life is a walk in the park and as far as I know things are going well. At the moment I'm in a temporary Essix retainer awaiting some fine tuning from my general dentist and then will get the Vivera retainers from Invisalign. I love that I can just remove them, clean them, and when I eat I can quickly clean my teeth up with my tongue. Plus I smile much more and more completely. I am hoping that your long journey ends on a very happy note!

[samoorelaw]

So sorry to hear this news, and am wishing you the best of luck. It sounds like your ortho has a good plan with an excellent chance of success; that is indeed good news. But, after all you have been through, I can certainly understand your pain and frustration. I'd probably be drinking gin right out of the bottle at this point. I'm hoping that you begin to see signs of success early and that you achieve all that you are hoping to accomplish. Best of luck to you!

Ha! You ain't kidding: if I were a drinker, I would be plastered by now! Now I have to get used to eating in public again with foods getting stuck. Fun.

Appreciate the kind words and well wishes, Dan. I'm so glad your 3-year journey with the braces has come to an end! How's retainer life treating you?

Retainer life is a walk in the park and as far as I know things are going well. At the moment I'm in a temporary Essix retainer awaiting some fine tuning from my general dentist and then will get the Vivera retainers from Invisalign. I love that I can just remove them, clean them, and when I eat I can quickly clean my teeth up with my tongue. Plus I smile much more and more completely. I am hoping that your long journey ends on a very happy note!

Thank you, Dan! Yes, retainer life was a breeze compared to braces: oh how I miss it!

[samoorelaw]

Just got back from the ortho and had 3 molar bands installed and was put in a thicker wire, since my teeth had already moved that much in 16 days! Unbelievable, since my next appointment is not until mid-January. Maybe this means my treatment will be shorter than the 12-18 months. Here's hoping: I already want out of these things! LOL

[djspeece]

Congratulations! Best wishes for continued progress.